The Effect of Shelter Availability on Arrests of People Experiencing Homelessness

In the United States, thousands of people experiencing homelessness are arrested and charged with crimes each year. Often, these charges stem from laws that criminalize acts and behaviors associated with homelessness, such as sleeping in public areas and panhandling. Advocates commonly argue that housing and social services will reduce these behaviors. Public policy scholars Andrew Sullivan and Stephanie Casey Pierce will collect data on extreme weather plans across the 100 largest counties in the United States. Using quasi-experimental methods, they will examine how increased shelter availability, via the activation of extreme weather plans, impacts jail incarcerations for quality-of-life ordinances among people experiencing homelessness.